Combination flash light and toilet article



Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,391

| FRANKLIN COMBINATION FLASHLI GHT AND TOILET ARTICLE Filed Mar. 9, 1922 INVENTOR Z By A TTORNEY? Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,449,391 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FRANKLIN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINATION FLASH LIGHT AND TOILET ARTICLE.

Application filed March 9, 1922. Serial 'No. 542,284.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Combination Flash Lights and Toilet Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in combination flash-lights and toilet articles.

The main object of the invention is to provide a device of the; character described, which is in the nature of a ladys vanity case, and more particularly one wherein an electric lamp is combined with a mirror, the elements being so arranged that the said lamp is capable of illuminating the object to be viewed or observed by the aid of the mirror.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the switch of the electric circuit that it is protected against accidental closing, whereby the life of the battery is greatly prolonged.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ladies vanity case of the type mentioned, which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, durable, and capable of manufacture on a commercial scale, or in other words one which is not so difficult to make as" to be beyond the reasonable cost of such a contrivance.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the size and pro portion of the several parts and details of construction within the scope of the ap pended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

One of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan viewof a vanity case constructed in accordance with the present invention, in its open position; Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3*?) of Fig. 1;

and Fig. at is a section taken on line 41 of F ig. 2.

The device comprises a casing, which is dlvlded into a front half and a rear half 11, united by a hinge 12.' This casing may be of any suitable construction and design and is made of metal. The casing half 10 fits, preferably, over the reduced portion 13 of the casing half 11, the halves being held in such engagement either by friction or by suitable locking means. Within the casing half 10 is mounted in any suitable manper a mirror 14, which abuts against its lnner face and covers, preferably, the en- Itlirpfarea of the front wall 15 of said casing The casing half 11 is divided by a transverse partition 16into two main compartments 17 and 18. The compartment 18 is sub-divided, for instance, by a partition 19. The compartment 17 is closed by a cover 20 and the compartment 18 by a cover 21, both coversbeing hinged at 22 to the transverse partition 16. The sub-divisions of the compartment 18 are adapted to hold toilet preparations and toilet articles, such as for instance face powder, rouge and powder pufi's. The covers 20 and 21 may be held in closing positions by suitable locking means, not shown.

Within the compartment 17 is mounted a lamp socket, comprising two metallic strips 23, which are fixed to and in electric contact with the casing half 11, they being spaced apart and spirally wound, the distance between the same corresponding to the pitch of the screw-thread of the base 24 of a small electric incandescent lamp 25.

The strips are somewhat resilient and donot complete each an entire turn, the latter feature being clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The lamp is screwed into the socket so formed in the ordinary manner, the strips, owing to their resiliency, clamping the same and holding it in fixed position on the casing half 11. In the lastmentioned casing half is furthermore held a source of electric energy, for instance a dry battery 26, enclosed in a suitable insulating body 27. One of the terminals of this battery, denoted by the numeral 28 abuts against a metallic contact point 29 on the lamp base, said contact point being elec- 2-1. and is thus in electric contact with the casing half 11.

On the cover '20 is mounted a switch 3t). including a blade 31, which is pivoted at 32 to the inner face of the cover :20. the pivot extending through the said cover and having tixed to it on the opposite side a handle 33.

'the latter abutting against the outer face ot said cover. The blade 31 is disposed in operative position to the second terminal of the battery. indicated at 34-.

In alignment with the electric lamp. there is formed in the cover an opening 23.). through which a beam of light is cast by the lamp when the electric circuitis closed.

The operation of this device is as follows: 'hcn the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. the electric circuit is open. the blade 3L not contacting with the battery terminal izll. When not in use. the two casing halves are held in closing positions. thereby protecting the switch against accidental operation. hen it is desired to use the contrivance, first the easing halt ll) is swung on the hinge 12 to open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and :2 ot the drawings. The electric lamp may then he lit by closing the circuit, that is to say by shitting the handle 33 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings until the blade 31 comes into electric contact with the terminal 3%. hen this is done. current flows from one terminal of the battery to the lamp. and through the same to the socket and the metallic casing half 11. Through this casing half current passes to the blade 31 and thence back to the other terminal of the battery. The face of the observer, viewing the mirror, is thereby illuminated. so that observations may be made in the dark, To the toilet articles contained within the compartment 18 access may be had by shifting the cover 21 around its hinge onto the cover 20.

The devlce is capable of being made 111 very small dimensions. so that it may be carried along in a pocket or in an ordinary ladys hand-bag. It is extremely simple in construction, its battery being so constructed that it tits into the circuit without the aid of special electric conductors. Replacement of the battery can be easily made by shifting the cover 20 to open position lVhat I claim is 1. A device of the character described comprising a casing divided into two halve in a plane passing between the front and rear walls thereof. a hinge uniting the two halves. a cover for one of said halves having an opening. an illuminating device within the covered asing half adapted to project light through said opening, and a mirror mounted within the cover-less casing half.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing divided into two halves in a plane passing between the front and rear walls thereof. a hinge uniting the two halves, a cover for one of said halves having an opening, an electric incandescent lamp within the covered casing hall in align ment with said opening, an electric battery within said covered casing halt in circuit with said lamp, a switch in said circuit mounted on said cover and including an operating handle on the exposed face of said cover, and a mirror mounted within the coverless casing half.

3. An incandescent lamp socket compris ing a plurality of spaced apart spirally wound resilient metallic strips fixed in parallel relation, the distance between adjoining strips corresponding to the pitch of the screw-thread of the lamp base to be held insaid socket, each strip being attached at one of its ends, its other end being free and spaced from the attached end.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th day of February, A. D. 1922.

LOUIS FRANKLIN. 

